THE

INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE

AND THE

LECTURES

DELIVERED BEFORE THE

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION,

IN BOSTON, AUGUST, 1832.

INCLUDING

A PRIZE ESSAY ON PENMANSHIP.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF CENSORS.

e

CONTENTS.

JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS,

INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE, by FRANCIS C. Gray,

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page ix

1

The general spirit of inquiry, 3-science stripped of its technicalities, 4

this spirit of inquiry particularly directed to the established modes of education,

5- guiding influence of the Association, 5 multiplicity and variety of schemes

for education their effects to be regarded as a series of experiments, 6

object of education, 7 whether individual benefit or the benefit of society, is to

be principally regarded in education, 9-import of the word utility, 10 — value

of classical learning, 11 — education should be so modified as to supply the va-

rying and increasing wants of society, 16- want of thoroughness in American

education, and the means of remedying this defect, 17.

LECTURE I.

ON THE BEST METHODS OF TEACHING THE LIVING LANGUA-

GES. BY GEORGE TICKNOR,

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25

The most important characteristic of a living language, is that it is spoken →

the easiest way to learn it, is to learn it as a spoken one, 27-when a language

cannot be learned in this way, what is the best method? 28 no one mode of

teaching modern languages adapted to all classes and ages, 29-I. Method to

be pursued when the learner commences in childhood, 29-II. Those who en-

ter on the rudiments of their instruction, between the ages of thirteen or four-

teen, and seventeen or eighteen, 34- the kind of grammar most appropriate to

this class, 35— the books to be read or used, 37. III. Of those learners who have

already reached the full maturity of their minds, 38- the general mode of

teaching all classes and all individuals, 39 — the direction to be given to all stu-

dies in a living language, in order to insure the greatest amount of success, 40-

the importance of learning to speak a language-necessary in order to under-
stand and relish the best authors in that language, ibid.

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